F-16 Crash AFB Volkel , The Netherlands

[MisterBliss]

Today a Dutch F-16 - J-068 - crashed into the ground after a touch & go.
Acc. Dutch site www.sgvolkel.nl (http://www.sgvolkel.nl) a birdhit was the cause.
Both pilots ejected and survived.
Also same pictures are found at the site mentioned above.

[Wrathmonk]

To save people trawling through the forums the pictures are (should!) be on this link (http://www.sgvolkel.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=800)

Quite impressive pictures.

[MisterBliss]

Tnx, missed the link there :ok:

[rab-k]

Bad smell still lingering in the tower I'd expect..

http://www.milspotters.nl/J-068crash2.jpg

[Zoom]

I have great memories of Volkel in F104 days of the 70s - wild!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :ok:

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

Hey that looks like one of those things they have in Mexico where they tow you under a parachute behind a boat

http://www.milspotters.nl/J-068crash.jpg

Not much left of that bird over on the right side of the photo :(

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

and how come they still use rounds? I can see it for a mass combat drop, but for an ejection system, used by aviators, I would have thought using a square would certainly help with the E&E.

[NoseGunner]

Both ok apparently - as rab said some nervous twitches in the tower!

On the chutes - squares cant take the large opening forces that may be experienced in some cases. A round chute is definitely better than a shredded square!!

[matkat]

Both ok apparently - as rab said some nervous twitches in the tower!
On the chutes - squares cant take the large opening forces that may be experienced in some cases. A round chute is definitely better than a shredded square!!
Is that tower still in use? it certainly looks decommisioned to Me, and is that bird debris? if so I would suggest it is a flock rather than a few singles could also be ejection debris.

[advocatusDIABOLI]

Impressive Pictures, Glad they got out in good time.

Incidentally, the 'Debris' looks to me like: 2x Seats, 1 x Canopy and 2 x 'Top Boxes' which would have contained the Parachutes. Smoke and sparks are probably remnants from the Canopy / Seat Rocket Motors. ACES II seats work in a slightly different, but equally effective way to MB.

Advo

[Lon More]

Report on the Dutch spotter site states birdstrike.
Think it's the lens used that makes it seem so close to the tower - some of the things these spotters use look like ground/air missile launchers

[BenThere]

Looks like two guardian angels standing on bits of debris.

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

Report on the Dutch spotter site states birdstrike.
looks more like an ultralight strike.

[Gingerbread Man]

The shot with all the pieces of the puzzle in is great. Is the use of round parachutes anything to do with the possibility of the crew being unconscious? I don't really know anything about 'chutes, but wondered if you have to be awake to fly a square canopy?

Ginger ;)

[Wader2]

I would have thought that you would need parachute training to use a square chute. Very few aircrew every jump for fun.

While a square chute and a high abandonment may help you steer away it probably unlikely that you would see the bad guys on the ground early enough anyway. For a last second abandonment you need as much chute as possible and no finesse.

Another consideration may be the chute pack size. Certainly, IIRC, the Army chutes were 28 foot diameter (and greater load of course) compared with the aircrew ones at 24 feet. That works out with a difference in size of about 10%.

[Brat]

Perceptible only on impact and height of bounce

[the_flying_cop]

spectacular photos

i love one of the quotes, isn't it great to see how some phrases dont translate but are adopted internationally lol

"Het was een close call, maar gelukkig geen slachtoffers..... "

nice to see 2 chutes, and a lump of metal just sat there all sedated and not in a "inches from disaster : fireball close to a school " as is often quoted by sensational meeja types.

TFC

[Sensible Garage]

HAS shelter took the hit in stride, 3 guys in there working on other bird all ok

http://www.dynamictruth.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=005293;p=0

[QFIhawkman]

HAS shelter took the hit in stride, 3 guys in there working on other bird all ok

http://www.dynamictruth.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=005293;p=0

Crikey, who'd have thought it. Some bits of it look almost salvageable!

[High_lander]

Wow, those pictures before look amazing.

Agreed over the HAS!

[Brian Abraham]

To land a square canopy requires training and developement of a skill set. Get it wrong and you die and is the major cause of fatalities in the skydiving community.

[rab-k]

http://home.hccnet.nl/p.peijnenburg/english/defaultE.html

Tower very much in commission. (Although nearly decommissioned c/o falling object!)

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

To land a square canopy requires training and developement of a skill set. Get it wrong and you die and is the major cause of fatalities in the skydiving community.Fair comment, because fatalities have definately changed from equipment failure ro aggressive hook turns at low level under a viable canopy, but:

showing off plays a large part in that shift in emphasis and
seeing as they're already aviators, the skill set is mostly there to begin with

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

Very few aircrew every jump for fun.and I don't blame them :p but even with the extra possibilities of an expensive injury, it seems like it might be a useful addition to the curriculum. What about E&E training? doesn't that hold the risk of injury? and is it ever considered fun?

While a square chute and a high abandonment may help you steer away it probably unlikely that you would see the bad guys on the ground early enough anyway. For a last second abandonment you need as much chute as possible and no finesse.another fair point, but a square might afford the opportunity to land in an open field instead of a tree, powerlines or next to a snarling doberman.

Another consideration may be the chute pack size. Certainly, IIRC, the Army chutes were 28 foot diameter (and greater load of course) compared with the aircrew ones at 24 feet. That works out with a difference in size of about 10%.Possible, but new zero porosity fabrics not only pack down into a really small volume, they also provide the same 'slowing capabilities' with a much smaller area of fabric.


btw, just playing devil's advocate, s'not meant to be an argumentative post

[Brian Abraham]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! (s'not meant to be an argumentative post)

showing off plays a large part in that shift in emphasis

The skydiving community has instructors who offer advanced canopy flying but unfortunately not a lot take the opportunity so they operate on the basis of they dont know what they dont know and hence the inevitable accidents.

seeing as they're already aviators, the skill set is mostly there to begin with

A square is a low performance glider with a unique set of handling characteristics which take experience to master. A reading of the United States Parachute Association "Skydivers Information Manual" (available online) will persuade any reasonable reader that you dont just strap on a square and go jump. The "Emergencies" section is quite formidable also.

RIP Martin Siddell, 52, a British Airways 777 Captain was parachuting at Skydive City in Zephyrhills, Florida, about 25 miles north east of Tampa, when turbulence collapsed his parachute at a height of 150 feet.

Attempts were made to revive him but he died at the scene.

PS Anybody who thinks its not fun should give it a try. Best to be had (with pants on or off)

[Argonautical]

Here are a few more pictures....

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/argonautical/crash-0.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/argonautical/bailout.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/argonautical/crash-3.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/argonautical/F16_verongelukt_402.jpg